Driverless cars developed in Leicestershire have finally taken to the streets of the Midlands.

The UK’s biggest trial of autonomous vehicle technology has moved onto public roads for the first time, following years of research, programming and safety checks at a vast testing facility just outside Hinckley.

The cars of the future have been used on the roads of Coventry - driving around the city's council house, cathedral and university.

The vehicles, built by Jaguar Land Rover and Indian automotive giant Tata, are part of the £20 million UK Autodrive research and development consortium – jointly funded by government and industry.

They have already undergone months of complex private test track demonstrations at the HORIBA MIRA Proving Ground, at Higham on the Hill, near Hinckley.

Ford has also been involved in the project.

All being well, the autonomous and connected technology being tested could go into production as early as 2019.

Autonomous technology is used in true driverless vehicles.

Whereas connected technology allows cars to talk wirelesslessly with one another and with things like traffic lights and road signs to help the navigate smoothly along the road networks.

At least one car used in the Coventry street tests has appeared to be driverless, supported by marshals wearing hi-vis jackets, with barriers erected along the roads.

A driver could be seen at the wheel of one car, with his arms folded and not touching the steering wheel.

Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark said last month: "Combining ambitious new technologies and innovative business models to address social and economic challenges lies at the heart of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy.

"Accelerating connected and autonomous vehicle technology development is central to achieving this ambition and will help to ensure the UK is one of the world’s go-to locations to develop this sector."

As well as the on-road testing in Coventry and Milton Keynes, UK Autodrive is also trialling a fleet of up to 40 self-driving pavement-based ‘pod’ vehicles in Milton Keynes, with both types of vehicle due to take part in the project’s final technology demonstrations next year.

Features being trialled within the UK Autodrive programme:

Emergency Vehicle Warning sends a signal from an emergency vehicle – such as an ambulance, fire engine or police vehicle – to nearby connected cars. The driver is told what is happening and advised to make way.

Intersection Collision Warning warns the driver when it is unsafe to enter an intersection

In-Vehicle Signage sends information about road conditions, congestion or other incidents directly to the in-car display, rather than having to rely on expensive gantry systems.

Electronic Emergency Brake Light alerts the driver when a vehicle in front suddenly brakes, providing advanced warning, especially when the driver is unable to see the lights due to weather conditions, road layout or other vehicles in between

Green Light Optimal Speed Advisory sends traffic light information to the connected car which is able to calculate the optimal speed for approaching the lights, cutting the number of red light stops, improving traffic flow and reducing emission levels from idling vehicles.

Intersection Priority Management assigns priority when two or more connected vehicles come to an intersection without priority signs or traffic lights.

Collaborative Parking provides real-time information about free parking spaces either in the vicinity or close to the driver’s final destination.